


Proposal

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Drama, Futurefic, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-03-07
Updated: 2003-03-07
Packaged: 2017-11-01 12:11:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/356615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A proposal - and a revelation - is made.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Proposal

## Proposal

by SkaterBoy

[]()

* * *

Feedback? Hell yeah! I want to know if it's worth the effort of a sequel. 

* * *

"Lex, I can't." 

"Why not?" 

"It wouldn't be right." 

"What wouldn't be right about it? It makes perfect sense to me." 

"You don't understand." 

"No, I don't. So why don't you explain it to me?" 

Sigh. "Lex. It would just be a marriage of convenience. I don't love Chloe the way she loves me." 

Pause. "You don't?" 

"No. She's _in love_ with me. I do love her, but just as a friend." 

"Well... that doesn't mean it couldn't work. It's not like you're interested in anyone else." 

Head shake. "So you're saying I should settle for Chloe because she's the first girl who asked me to marry her?" 

"I hardly think you'd be settling, Clark. You've been together since high school. You've been roommates for the last four years." 

"College roommates, Lex. Don't try to make it something it isn't. And we're in an apartment. It's not like we sleep in the same room." 

"Okay, but besides Lana you haven't liked anyone else. And Lana married Whitney. You and Chloe are both reporters, you have the same interests. You complement each other perfectly. Think what a great team you'd make. _Clark and Chloe Kent, lead reporters for the Daily Planet_." 

"Lex, listen to yourself! You're telling me to marry Chloe like it's some kind of business deal." 

Smirk. "I _am_ a businessman, Clark. Every decision I make is based on business ideals, a weighing of the pros and cons." 

Mouth open to interrupt. 

Palm held up to stop interruption. "Think of it as a corporate merger." 

Glare. "How can you even talk about marriage like that? Besides, it wouldn't be fair to Chloe." 

Raised eyebrow. "How so?" Consideringly. 

Sigh. "If I married her, she'd keep hoping that I'd fall in love with her. And that's not going to happen, no matter how much she wants it. I care about her too much to put her through that." 

Questioning look. New respect? 

Serious voice. "Why do you want me to marry Chloe anyway?" 

Hesitation covered up by a glance away. "What I want isn't important." 

Quiet voice. "Maybe it is." 

Silence. 

Moment. 

Lex. "Why did you ask for my advice about this?" 

Uncertainty. Then, determinedness. "I thought you would try to talk me out of it." 

"Did you _want_ me to talk you out of it?" 

Nod. 

"Why?" 

Deep breath. "Because. Because I thought you liked me." 

Deliberate misunderstanding. "Of course I like you, Clark. We wouldn't be friends if I didn't like you." 

Huff. "You know what I mean, Lex. More than friends." 

Just like that. 

No answer. Just a question. "Why would you think that?" 

"Before I went to college, we spent a lot of time together, Lex. You, a sophisticated billionaire went out of your way to be friends with me. Me, a high school student, a farmer. But you always treated me like an equal. You came to me for advice about whether you should go back to Metropolis, and I _saw_ the way you looked at me when I said I hoped you'd stay. And then you did stay." 

Smile. "I stayed because my father only made the offer to _use_ me, Clark. I was a threat to him in Smallville." 

"What about all the looks? You were always flirting with me and finding excuses to touch me. You tried to be subtle about it but I noticed it." 

Concession. "What was I supposed to think, Clark? You never _once_ reciprocated. If you thought I was interested in you and you were interested in me, why didn't you _say_ anything?" 

Exasperation. "I was _sixteen_ , a _high school_ student. I was already a freak of nature, taller than everyone in my class, my dad wouldn't let me join the football team, and I barely had any friends. People thought I was _weird_ and I thought I was too. Do you really think I was mature enough to make that kind of decision?" 

"And you are now?" 

"I don't know!" 

Confusion. 

Frustration. 

Somber. "I don't want to marry Chloe." 

"So you've said." 

Serious look. "Do you like me?" 

Eye contact. Understanding. "Yes." 

"Is this the beginning of something?" 

"If you want it to be." 

"I do." 


End file.
